I was walking the dogs about 5 this evening on the track across the top of the Forest, and after half an hour or so we came across a beautiful wild boar family!

Up here the Forest parts across the top of the hill and there is a big track with bracken either side that’s open – I chose to walk there because it had been a sunny day but I’d missed most of it, so I wanted to walk as far as possible in the light! Because the crest of the hill is open, it catches the last of the daylight.

I was walking quietly along the track with the dogs a little ahead of me when suddenly I saw a big black boar sow come out from the side of the track just beyond them and stand the centre of the track. She looked at me and I quietly called the dogs back to me and made them lie down.

She trotted a little way along the track towards me and stood there looking at me for 15-20 seconds. I started to very gently and slowly move towards her, hoping for a photograph on my phone, but suddenly, 4 beautiful little toffee and ginger coloured piglets cam running out and started trotting about round her feet.

I stopped, and she stood her ground. We had one of those wonderful wildlife moments when she looked at me and I looked at her and we both took a good long look at each other. Then one of the piglets started to trot towards me and she shoved him with her nose and ran off into the bracken on the other side of the track, with the piglets all following.

What was lovely was that for a few minutes I could hear gruntings and snufflings in the undergrowth beside the path so I stayed still and made the dogs stay there, so she didn’t become spooked and charge. I could just imagine her checking on all the babies under the leaves.

We went on our way. About 5 minutes later, we saw a huge brown boar cross the path just in front of us, so again I had the dogs lie quiet but by the time I’d gotten close to where he was he had gone. I guess he may well be the father – but there was so much boar sign in that part of the Forest I’m sure there is more than one family there.

What a wonderful weekend surprise!  For more info and images, including some videos, visit my Forest of Dean Wild Boar page